"if you get near a tune, play it".
A series of concerts featuring bassist Nick Haywood with some of Australia's great improvising pianists.
The duo performances will explore improvisation through deep listening, response to musical ideas and spontaneous creative development. The series title is taken from a much loved quote from Tony Gould. As the quote implies, each performance will feature free improvisation with the understanding that if a tune the performers know presents itself, the performance may spontaneously gravitate towards that tune.
Thursday 11TH AUGUST
With Tony Gould, piano
Pianist, composer and educator Tony Gould has received many accolades for his contribution to music In Australia, the most recent being the prestigious Don Banks Award from the Australia Council for the Arts. In 2008 he was awarded an Order of Australia (AM).
He has performed with and accompanied many internationally renowned artists including Clark Terry, Mark Murphy, Ernestine Anderson, Ronnie Scott, David Jones, Don Burrows, John Sangster, Graeme Lyall, John Hoffman and Bobby Shew. He has been guest artist with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra and appeared as associate artist with the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Dave Brubeck, Sarah Vaughan, the LA Four and many others.
His CD River Story, with guitarist Peter Petrucci, received an ARIA Award nomination as did his earlier Concerto for Saxophones and Orchestra titled The Subtlety of Time. Gould and Petrucci received a Playing Australia grant 2001 and have recorded a second CD titled From Within. and collaboration with the brilliant trumpeter Keith Hounslow McJad Goes Organic (Church Organ and Trumpet,) two CDs with the brilliant young Australian singer, Emma Gilmartin, titled Tomorrow Just You Wait and See and Home, and as solo artist with John Hoffman’s orchestra on the recording titled Pianamente.
His latest solo piano recording on ABC Classics titled At the End of the Day was released to critical acclaim in April 2005. A recording was released in 2008 with the eminent American composer/pianist David Ward-Steinman, with original works, and two major compositions for two pianos by John Lewis (Modern Jazz Quartet) and the French pianist/composer Martial Solal.
Tony performs and lectures at major universities in Australia, the Asia pacific region, the United States and elsewhere on a wide range of topics.
He has just completed two books, as part of the commitment to a Fellowship awarded by the Australia Council for the Arts: Essays on Music and Musicians in Australia, and, The Art of MusicalImprovisation: Thoughts and Ideas
His latest work, a trio for piano, cello and clarinet, is to receive its world premiere in July.
PAST:
Thursday 7th April
With Colin Hopkins, piano
Pianist Colin Hopkins is one of Australia’s most highly respected improvising pianists. He has performed at major festivals throughout Australia and Europe including the Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Wangaratta Jazz festival and the Tallinn Festival of Jazz and Blues (Estonia). Hopkins was the recipient of the 2007 Melbourne Jazz Fringe Festival Commission, where he composed a major work for jazz trio and string quartet. He has featured on over twenty CD recordings of Australian improvised music with artists including Tony Gould, Alex Pertout, Christine Sullivan and Peter Knight.
Critic John Clare, in a review of the Nick Haywood Quartet, in the Sydney Morning Herald, spoke of Hopkins’ performance with the Nick Haywood Quartet at the Wangaratta International Jazz Festival 2011,
The clarity, sparkling lyricism and, yes, bracing intellectuality of Colin Hopkins's piano also made it hard for me to tear myself away. (Clare, 2011)
Hopkins is also both a highly regarded architect and ceramic artist. His prolific and varied artistic output across these areas combine to make him an exciting, innovative creative musician.
Thursday 2nd June
With Andrea Keller, piano
The diversity of Keller’s approach to music has seen her perform in settings ranging from big band to solo, and has placed her on stage with artists such as Eddie Perfect, Genevieve Lacey, John Surman (UK), the Black Arm Band, Bernie McGann, the Australian Art Orchestra, Sandy Evans, Flinders Quartet, Allan Browne, Ten Part Invention, Phil Slater, The Song Company, Mike Nock, Gian Slater, Barney McAll, James Crabb, and more.
With a growing body of work traversing styles, Keller has been invited to compose and arrange music for The Song Company (2015), Marshall McGuire (harp)(2015), Zephyr (string) Quartet (2015 & 2014), Black Arm Band (2015, 2014, 2012), Genevieve Lacey & James Crabb Duo (2014), ‘Poetica’ ABC Radio National (2013), Genevieve Lacey (recorder)(2013), Four Winds Festival (2010), ANU Canberra (2010), Claire Edwardes (percussionist)(2010), Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival (2010, 2003, 2000), Seraphim Trio (2009), Ten Part Invention (2009), Royal Children’s Hospital (2008), Mike Nock (2002), Australian Art Orchestra (2002).
Lauded for her music, Keller has received three ARIA Awards, four Australian Jazz ‘Bell’ Awards, an Art Music Award, and fellowships from the MCA/Freedman Foundation and the Australia Council. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Improvisation (Honours) from the Victorian College of the Arts (2001) and a Master of Arts (Research) from Queensland University of Technology (2011).
About Nick haywood
Over the past forty years Nick Haywood has become one of the most in demand bassists and educators on the Australian music scene. He has impressive performance and recording credits with both Australian and international artists. Nick has performed at major festivals and concerts in Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Europe, China and the USA.
Nick has been a featured artist on over 100 albums and has been nominated for numerous ARIA awards, most recently in 2021. He is the 2012 recipient of the Australian Jazz “Bell Award” for Best Australian Contemporary Jazz Album and the 2016 Australian Jazz “Bell Award” for Best Australian Small Ensemble. He is also the recipient of the 2012 APRA Art Music State Award, the award being for Excellence in Jazz. He has performed at many major jazz festivals, both in Australia and internationally.
Since the global pandemic Nick has been busy with creating different projects, including this exciting series of duo concerts at Tempo Rubato. Development of new creative projects is something that Nick has been passionate about for many years.
Nick was commissioned to present a series of concerts at the 2018 MONAFOMA festival in Hobart, featuring the music of Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra. The concerts featured Haden’s daughter, Petra Haden, alongside 11 of Australia’s finest improvising musicians. Nick was also an Artist in Residence at MONA for the festival.
Nick was invited to present 2 concerts at the 2019 Melbourne International Jazz Festival with Petra Haden. The theme of these concerts was “Songs from my Father” and featured songs written by and/or inspired by Petra’s father Charlie Haden. The ensemble was a new quintet featuring some of Australia’s finest players. The concerts received outstanding reviews with some critics calling it the highlight of the festival and a recording of the Festival performances was released by ABC Jazz in December 2020. This recording was short listed for an ARIA award for Best Jazz Album in 2021.
In June 2019 Nick also recorded a new, upcoming album with Haden alongside pianist Colin Hopkins and drummer Niko Schauble. This was released in September 2021.
In 2012 Nick was the recipient of the Australian Jazz “Bell” Award for Best Australian Contemporary Jazz Album. He was also the recipient of the APRA Art Music State Award, which was awarded for excellence in Jazz. In 2016 he was the recipient of the Australian Jazz “Bell” Award for Best Australian Jazz Ensemble.
Nick was nominated for two ARIA awards at the 1999 ARIAs, these being Browne-Haywood-Stevens “Sudden in a Shaft of Sunlight” (Best Jazz Recording) and The Black Sorrows “Beat Club” (Best Adult Contemporary). He was also nominated for an ARIA award in 2021 for “Back to the Garden” – Nick Haywood Trio with Petra Haden.
Nick has performed at every major festival in Australia including Montsalvat Jazz Festival, Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues, East Coast Blues & Roots Festival (Byron Bay), York Jazz Festival (W.A.), Pinnacles Festival of Improvised Music (QLD), Manly Jazz Festival, Melbourne International Festival.
Nick has performed at festivals in China, Switzerland, New Zealand, New Caledonia and Hong Kong. He has also performed to enthusiastic audiences at several New York, Paris, Hong Kong and Beijing jazz clubs.
Nick has countless television, film score and advertising credits.
In May 2002 Nick recorded Don Banks’ “Nexus” and “Equations” for Jazz Quintet and symphony orchestra at ABC Southbank.
In September/October of 2002 Nick successfully toured Europe with the contemporary jazz ensemble Blow, receiving excellent responses and favourable reviews for all performances.
In 2003 Nick was invited to participate in an anniversary concert of John Sangster’s “Lord of the Rings” at the Malvern Town Hall, featuring many of the artists from the original recording.
In 2004 Nick was the recipient of the Alan C. Rose Memorial Project Grant, which enabled him to study in New York City with world-renowned bassists Gary Peacock and Rufus Reid.